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Sunday, October 6, 2013

The Courtship of James Hunter McCloud, Epilogue

Epilogue

Julia
smiled as she leaned against her father’s side, Buck’s arm around her
shoulders. She looked down and
admiringly caressed the silky soft white buckskin of her wedding dress that
Dawn Star had lovingly sewn for her, complete with traditional dyed porcupine
quills etching out colorful patterns.

Julia
had been deadset on a traditional church wedding. Jamie had given it to her, but had insisted
they honor her parents’ heritage as well with this ceremony. In a few short hours, she’d be walking down
the aisle of the Rock Creek church wearing an incredible white lace gown who’s
design came straight out of the most recent issue of Godey’s Lady’s Book. Her bridegroom would be waiting for her,
fighting to look as solemn as the occasion called for, but his crystal blue
eyes smiling grandly only for her. They
would make their vows before the white man’s God and all their friends and
neighbors, then have a wonderful wedding supper and escape on their honeymoon.

But
first, she was waiting here, in this pretty meadow near their favorite place at
the swimming hole, with just their close family, waiting for him. He’d insisted on holding this ceremony, just for
their families, first. He’d even
promised not to talk to Dawn Star ever again after the wedding, following the
Cheyenne tradition. It just made her
love him all the more.

Julia
looked around, counting all the beloved faces that surrounded her. Her parents, standing at her sides, her
numerous brothers and sisters scattered about behind her. Well, most of them anyway. Harry had gone off with Willie and Jed to get
Jamie ready for the big day. They and
Jamie’s parents would be escorting him here.

In
fact, Julia tilted her head as she strained her ears. Yes. That
was Harry’s flute she could hear, sending it’s dancing tune into the air,
preceding the procession.

Soon,
they broke through the treeline and entered the meadow. Aunt Lou and Uncle Kid were leading a
beautiful, shining black stallion upon which Jamie sat, tall and proud,
grinning for all he was worth. His
brothers followed behind, leading four other horses. Harry came last, providing the triumphant
fanfare on his flute.

Several
feet away from where Julia stood, surrounded by her family, Lou and Kid came to
a stop and stepped aside. Jamie
dismounted and took the reins of the other horses from his brothers, limping
slightly as he led them toward Julia.

The
last few months hadn’t been easy, she mused.
As Buck had feared, Jamie had never quite healed completely. He’d always walk with a limp and his thigh
pained him anytime the weather changed.
But he was whole and he was hers.
She wanted to leap and skip in celebration and hug herself with the joy
of that knowledge. But contented herself
with moving in place to the music.

Jamie
stopped in front of her, his beautiful eyes boring into hers as he tried to
contain his smile long enough to talk.
Holding the reins of the four horses out to her, he said, “I bring this
gift as a sign of my ability to care for and protect you in our life ahead, you
and our children to come. Do you accept
them? Be careful, for they carry my
heart to yours.”

Julia
swallowed a giggle. That last bit wasn’t
what they’d planned, but his own sweet whispered addition just for her.

“I
take these animals as a promise of the future,” she said smilingly as she
reached out and practically snatched the reins out of his hand. Passing them to her father she added, “In
exchange, I promise to care for you and our children for all the days we shall
travel this path together.”

“Come,”
Jamie said huskily, holding out his hand.
“See the home I have made for us.”

Julia
put her hand in his and followed his lead back to the stallion he’d been
riding. He leaped aboard the unsaddled animal, then pulled her up in front of
him, to wrap his arms around her and hold her tight to his chest.

Using
only his knees, he wheeled the horse around and they sprinted away from their
families, toward the house he’d spent the last two months building for her, in
total secrecy, toward the future.

Continuing
to ride without his hands, Jamie framed her face with his palms instead and leaned
forward to kiss her deeply as they rode, together.

The Author

Who am I? A Hispanic broadcast journalist, current host of Kansas Week on KPTS, and certified high school teacher, a writer and lifelong lover of all things historical, particularly the Old West. I'm married to a wonderful man from Germany and we have a 17 yr old son. We have two rescued cats and a rescued pooch, who thinks she's a 70 lb lapdog. I'm prone to talk about anything and everything that catches my interest.